CFP NOTEBOOK: Tide's Harris breaks 1,000-yard mark for season

Tuesday
Jan 9, 2018 at 9:45 AM

By Aaron SuttlesSports Writer

Alabama running back Damien Harris crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season with his performance on Monday night. Harris entered the game with 983 rushing yards on 129 carries.

He crossed the 1,000-yard mark on his fifth carry of the night, a six-yard run in the third quarter which game Alabama a first down. Harris entered the game with 2,177 career rushing yards, which ranked 15th in school history.

Harris had 146 carries for 1,037 yards during his sophomore season in 2016. He's the first Alabama running back to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since T.J. Yeldon did it in 2012 and 2013. Harris and Yeldon are the only two Alabama running backs in the Nick Saban era who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

 

Championship celebration

Alabama will celebrate its College Football Playoff national title on Saturday, Jan. 20, The Tuscaloosa News has learned.

In the past the team has ridden team busses to its Walk of Champions entrance in the North end zone and walked to the front steps of Bryant-Denny Stadium, where UA dignitaries, coach Nick Saban and select players speak to to the crowd.

The team normally shows off the new championship trophies during the celebration.

 

Assistant coach on the move

Alabama defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley is leaving the program, The Tuscaloosa News has learned. According to multiple reports Monday morning he’ll be the next defensive coordinator at Colorado State.

FootballScoop.com and The Coloradoan both reported Ansley’s next stop would be as the defensive coordinator at Colorado State.

Ansley has served as UA’s defensive backs coach for two seasons after being hired away from Kentucky at the end of the 2015 season. He was also a graduate assistant at Alabama.

As The Tuscaloosa News previously reported, UA hired Pete Golding for next year’s staff. Golding has an extensive background in coaching defensive backs.

 

Old hat

Alabama is the first program to play in three straight national championship games since Florida State (1998-2000). The Crimson Tide has 15 players who played in the first two games who were on the roster and healthy for Monday's game.

“It’s pretty special,” said left guard Ross Pierschbacher, who started his third straight championship game. “Not a lot of people can say that. That’s why you come to Alabama.”

Four of those 15 players made their third straight start in the championship, 11 of which are juniors. They could start four straight national championship games if they choose to return for their senior seasons and Alabama can return to the championship.

“I knew Alabama was a championship caliber team when I came here, but I didn’t think we’d go to back-to-back-to-back national championship games,” defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “We have a great team, great players, great coaches, so I’m not surprised we did. It’s just an honor and a blessing.”

Alabama’s coaching staff has seen significant turnover during those three years. Running backs coach Burton Burns and outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi are the only coaches who have been on-field assistants on Nick Saban’s coaching staff for all three championship games, though several off-field staffers have remained during that period. Strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran and head athletic trainer Jeff Allen, both members of Saban’s original staff in 2007, are part of that group.

Played who played in all 3 games (*denotes 3 straight starts): Bradley Bozeman, Rashaan Evans, Minkah Fitzpatrick*, Da’Shawn Hand, Damien Harris, Ronnie Harrison, Hale Hentges, Keith Holcombe, Derek Kief, Christian Miller, Da’Ron Payne, Ross Pierschbacher*, Calvin Ridley*, Bo Scarbrough, JK Scott*.

 

Tidebits

Alabama won the toss and deferred to the second half…The game was officiated by referees from the Big Ten…More than a few former Alabama players were spotted before the game, including Ryan Kelly, Reggie Ragland, Dont’a Hightower, O.J. Howard, Kenyan Drake, Derrick Henry, Dalvin Tomlinson, Vinnie Sunseri, Barrett Jones, C.J. Mosley, Jonathan Allen and Marlon Humphrey.

 

Reach Aaron Sutles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.

Tuesday
Jan 9, 2018 at 9:45 AM

By Aaron SuttlesSports Writer

Alabama running back Damien Harris crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season with his performance on Monday night. Harris entered the game with 983 rushing yards on 129 carries.

He crossed the 1,000-yard mark on his fifth carry of the night, a six-yard run in the third quarter which game Alabama a first down. Harris entered the game with 2,177 career rushing yards, which ranked 15th in school history.

Harris had 146 carries for 1,037 yards during his sophomore season in 2016. He's the first Alabama running back to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since T.J. Yeldon did it in 2012 and 2013. Harris and Yeldon are the only two Alabama running backs in the Nick Saban era who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

 

Championship celebration

Alabama will celebrate its College Football Playoff national title on Saturday, Jan. 20, The Tuscaloosa News has learned.

In the past the team has ridden team busses to its Walk of Champions entrance in the North end zone and walked to the front steps of Bryant-Denny Stadium, where UA dignitaries, coach Nick Saban and select players speak to to the crowd.

The team normally shows off the new championship trophies during the celebration.

 

Assistant coach on the move

Alabama defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley is leaving the program, The Tuscaloosa News has learned. According to multiple reports Monday morning he’ll be the next defensive coordinator at Colorado State.

FootballScoop.com and The Coloradoan both reported Ansley’s next stop would be as the defensive coordinator at Colorado State.

Ansley has served as UA’s defensive backs coach for two seasons after being hired away from Kentucky at the end of the 2015 season. He was also a graduate assistant at Alabama.

As The Tuscaloosa News previously reported, UA hired Pete Golding for next year’s staff. Golding has an extensive background in coaching defensive backs.

 

Old hat

Alabama is the first program to play in three straight national championship games since Florida State (1998-2000). The Crimson Tide has 15 players who played in the first two games who were on the roster and healthy for Monday's game.

“It’s pretty special,” said left guard Ross Pierschbacher, who started his third straight championship game. “Not a lot of people can say that. That’s why you come to Alabama.”

Four of those 15 players made their third straight start in the championship, 11 of which are juniors. They could start four straight national championship games if they choose to return for their senior seasons and Alabama can return to the championship.

“I knew Alabama was a championship caliber team when I came here, but I didn’t think we’d go to back-to-back-to-back national championship games,” defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “We have a great team, great players, great coaches, so I’m not surprised we did. It’s just an honor and a blessing.”

Alabama’s coaching staff has seen significant turnover during those three years. Running backs coach Burton Burns and outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi are the only coaches who have been on-field assistants on Nick Saban’s coaching staff for all three championship games, though several off-field staffers have remained during that period. Strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran and head athletic trainer Jeff Allen, both members of Saban’s original staff in 2007, are part of that group.

Played who played in all 3 games (*denotes 3 straight starts): Bradley Bozeman, Rashaan Evans, Minkah Fitzpatrick*, Da’Shawn Hand, Damien Harris, Ronnie Harrison, Hale Hentges, Keith Holcombe, Derek Kief, Christian Miller, Da’Ron Payne, Ross Pierschbacher*, Calvin Ridley*, Bo Scarbrough, JK Scott*.

 

Tidebits

Alabama won the toss and deferred to the second half…The game was officiated by referees from the Big Ten…More than a few former Alabama players were spotted before the game, including Ryan Kelly, Reggie Ragland, Dont’a Hightower, O.J. Howard, Kenyan Drake, Derrick Henry, Dalvin Tomlinson, Vinnie Sunseri, Barrett Jones, C.J. Mosley, Jonathan Allen and Marlon Humphrey.

 

Reach Aaron Sutles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.

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